A study will be conducted to determine the effect of degree and position of anionic substitution on the rates of periodate oxidation of hexuronic acid and hexose residues in a variety of mucopolysaccharides and their carboxyl reduced derivatives. Results will be used in designing methodology for accurate measurement of the percent of total L-iduronic acid residues in heparins, heparan sulfates, and dermatan sulfates that are O-sulfated. This is part of an overall project for carrying out nearest neighbor analyses on heparins and heparan sulfates using previously described methodology for selective chemical cleavage at the glycosidic bonds of N-sulfated amino sugars and 2-0-sulfated L-iduronic acid residues. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: J.E. Shively and H.E. Conrad, Formation of Anhydrosugars in the Chemical Depolymerization of Heparin, Biochemistry 15:3932-3942 (1976). J.E. Shively and H.E. Conrad, Nearest Neighbor Analysis of Heparin: Identification and Quantitation of the Products Formed by Selective Depolymerization Procedures, Biochemistry 15:3943-3950 (1976).